The present invention relates to a handle assembly and more particularly to a handle assembly for carrying a container such as a cooler.
A cooler is generally an insulated container having walls upstanding from a bottom member which define a top opening adapted to receive a removeable cover. Coolers are oftentimes rectangular having two sidewalls and two end walls and a handle assembly is usually associated with each of the end walls for carrying the cooler. The present invention is directed to a handle assembly particularly well suited for carrying a cooler which provides advantages over constructions previously used.
The handle assemblies commonly provided on coolers in the past have generally been of two principal types. The first type has been in the form of a narrow recess in opposing end walls which can be gripped by the finger tips of the user. This type of handle assembly is normally adequate for purposes of removing a cooler which has been packed for transportation in close proximity to other items, but the narrow recess provides an unsatisfactory gripping surface resulting in a significant strain on the fingers of the user especially at times when the cooler is heavily loaded. The second type has been in the form of a conventional handle which is pivotally mounted on a bracket attached to opposing end walls which can be gripped by the hand of the user. This type of handle assembly is normally adequate for purposes of providing a satisfactory gripping surface for the user even at times when the cooler is heavily loaded, but the pivotally mounted handle cannot be moved into position for carrying a cooler which has been packed for transportation in close proximity to other items. Accordingly, the two principal types of handle assemblies commonly used have not effectively provided the degree of versatility desired for use in carrying a cooler under a wide variety of conditions.
The handle assemblies provided on containers used for various other purposes in the past have been of a number of different configurations. A representative sampling of such handle assemblies includes Litchfield U.S. Pat. No. 340,721; Paddock U.S. Pat. No. 2,318,792; and Johnson U.S. Pat. No. 3,451,590. However, the handle assemblies of the past have all failed to accomplish the important advantages to be derived from the present invention.